Thursday, July 26, 2012

When Bayern Munich and Internazionale were paired in the third round of the UEFA Cup in November and December 1988, both teams were league leaders in their respective countries.

Bayern Munich, managed by Juup Heynckes, was leading in the Bundesliga with many newly acquired players. This team captained by Klaus Aughentaler still had Hans Pflügler and Norbert Nachtweith in defense.

Along with Pfaff, Norbert Eder, Michael Rummenigge, Weslshman Mark Hughes had also been transferred out.

Most importantly, Bayern’s two most important assets Lothar Matthaus and Andreas Brehme had been transferred to their opponents of this round Internazionale.

Internazionale were in even more irresistible form as they were running away with the Serie A title. This team managed by Giovanni Trappatoni still had its backbone of Italian players: goalkeeper Walter Zenga, Giuseppe Bergomi, Giuseppe Baresi, Riccardo Ferri, Gianfranco Matteolli, Andrea Mandorlini and Aldo Serena.

Foreign duo of Belgian Enzo Scifo and Argentinean Daniel Passarella had departed to be replaced with the Matthaus, Brehme and Argentinean striker Ramon Diaz.

In fact Diaz had been signed after Inter had pulled out of the proposed transfer of Algerian Rabah Madjer from Porto, who was thought to be injury prone.

Matthaus and Brehme had adapted to the Serie A with surprising ease.

The first leg was played on November 23, 1988 at Munich’s Olympiastadion.

It had snowed the days before and about 8 inches of snow had to cleared from the pitch.

As for the match itself, Inter played the perfect away match with one striker (Serena) and won with two breakaway goals by Serena (60th minute) and Nicola Berti *71st minute).

The consensus on Bayern’s poor showing was that it was a young rebuilding side not yet ready for such a test.

Photo From: France Football, November 29, 1988, Issue 2225

(Aldo Serena bypassing Klaus Aughentaler)

Heynckes remarked that his team’s average age was 25 and actually 23 without Nachtweith and Pflugler.

Grahammer and Reuter were criticized for being impressive in the Bundesliga but somehow going missing in Europe.

Playmakers Dorfner and Thon were as powerless as strikers Wohlfarth and Weggman in finding a way through the Inter defense, where Corrado Verdelli was playing only his second game ever for Inter.

Verdelli, deputizing for the injured Mandorlini, was playing for Monza in the Serie C only months earlier.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a former player for both sides, questioned Aughentaler’s performance. According to Rummenigge, Aughentaler was very beneficial in going forward, however, it was difficult for him to combine both defensive and offensive tasks.

The best German players on the field were Inter’s Brehme and Matthaus.

Brehme had been slightly injured in the days before the match; however, thanks to help from Bayern’s own doctor he was ready.

Most observers, including Bayern’s President Fritz Scherer conceded defeat in the round with no hopes of qualification.

Lothar Matthaus even took a victory lap in his old stadium.

Brehme and Nachtweith made a friendly bet that the loser of the round would treat the winner with dinner. After this match, the odds were that Nachtweith would be buying.

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Uhlsport

For the return leg on December 7th, with the tie seemingly in the bag for Inter, the media talk in Italy was mostly about the upcoming league fixture with cross-town rivals AC Milan.

Prior to the match itself, Inter had attempted to stop Bayern from warming up on the pitch. According to UEFA officials, they wanted to take responsibility for the players’ safety only during the match and not before.

For the match Inter employed the same tactic as the first leg, with Aldo Serena as the lone striker.

Photo From: Onze, January 1989

(Hans Pflügler heading over Serena and Bergomi)

Bayern started with three strikers intent on attacking to have any chance.

Inter’s tactic seemed to work until the 33rd minute when Brehme was injured.

This seemed to disrupt Inter’s game plan and Bayern scored three goals in a seven-minute span.

Photo From: France Football, December 13, 1988, Issue 2227

(Diagram of Aughentale’s goal in the 38th minute)

Ronald Wohlfarth scored the first goal was scored in the 33rd minute, while Brehme was out being treated, when Olaf Thon’s shot rebounded off the post. Four minutes later, Aughentaler scored off a cross by Hans Pflügler and in the 40th minute Weggman scored off a pass by Ekström.

Just before halftime, Aldo Serena pulled a goal back for Inter to give a glimmer of a comeback.

Photo From: France Football, December 13, 1988, Issue 2227

(Hans Pflugler and Aldo Serena)

Bayern goalkeeper Aumann had an outstanding match and withstood all of Inter’s assaults in the second half.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge summed it up when he said that Bayern did everything to win, while Inter did nothing.

Aughentaler, who had been heavily criticized after the first leg, was asked what was the lesson to be learned, he replied ironically that “ Bayern is still incapable of holding a three goal lead in Milan”.

Photo From: France Football, December 13, 1988, Issue 2227

(Bergomi unable to stop Weggman from scoring)

Bayern went on and lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Maradona’s Napoli. Most observers praised their performance and progress given the youth of the team. Both Bayern and Inter went on to win their respective league titles.

Given Inter’s form nobody could have foreseen Bayern’s amazing comeback away from home.

Perhaps Inter assumed they had already qualified and underestimated Bayern for the second leg.

Trappatoni went on to manage Bayern in two separate spells (1994/95) and (1996/98) and Matthaus eventually returned to Bayern in 1992.